Indicating gauge



B. L. GATES.

INDICATING GAUGE.

APPucATloN FILED Aue.28, 1920.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

BENJAMIN' L. GATES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTH'IUR E. BARIIIZQOIF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Innieafriire e-AUen.

iaaaiee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentes aug. s, ieee.

Application 1ed` August H28, 1920. Serial No. 406,574.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing lat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new land useful Improvements in indicating Gauges, of

'of the device. A further object is to provide pivoted elements for reaching places heretofore inaccessible by a dial gauge, and for adjusting such elements relative to the indicating members of the gauge. The above objects and the many important and advantageous features of the invention are hereinafter clearly set forth, and a structure embodying the invention is illustrated in the appended drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the structure of my invention, and parts of the structure have been broken away iii order to disclose the interior mechanism,

Fig. 2 shows the indicator portion of the gauge on a larger scale, and the dial is in this view entirely removed for'the sake of clearness,

Fig. 3 illustrates an important adjustment of the structure, and

Fig. 4t is a detail view on a large scale of parts removed from Fig. 2, and the arrows A-Aindicate the relative direction lfrom which the illustrations are viewed.

Referring in the first instance to Fig. l,

`the numeral l denotes the casing ofv a dial gauge,"through which extends a slidably fitted plunger 2, and said plunger' is connected to rotate a pointer 3, which latter is proportioned to register with the graduations appearing on a dial 1l. The gauge is ed to bring the center line 5a of the outer portion of the bar intol alignment with the plunger head 2a, and also into the alignment indicated in Fig. 8, and these are the adjustinents most commonly used, as will be appreciated by anyone versed in the art. The plunger 2 terminates at the lower end in a ball shaped head 2a, which preferably is hardened and ground for contacting with the work to be gauged, and it is noticed that screw threads 2b are provided adjacent to said head for attachment of specially shaped contact heads. As such heads form no part of this invention, they are not illustrated in the drawing.

In the opposite end of said plunger is cut l a circular groove 2C, and in said'groove is seated the inner `end of a differentiating lever 7, which is pivotally mounted on an arm S, said arm being insertable in a socket of the casing l. The arm and lever are prefer'- ably square in cross section, and two square sockets are madein 'the casing at rightl angles to each other in order to hold said arm sidewise projected as shown inF ig. l, or rearwardly extending as indicated in Fig. 3. The outer portion of the lever` 7 terminates in a ball shaped head 7a, which, similarly to the head2a is provided for contacting with the work-to be measured. Suitable means, such as a pivot screw 9, holds the lever pivotally in place on the arm 8, andv tained oii the dial of the gauge. If for example the graduations on the dial correspond to a plunger movement of one one stances Where the differential 'lever 7 is required fora external' 'gaiuglng ndor internal gauging the said leveris, lor" course,"-

indispensable, particularly in spaces too small for insertion of the'lwhole instrument."

rllhe internal mechanism of the gauge will nowbedescribe'di* '.llhecase'` 1 is provided:

with two `align-ed bearings. for theiplungcr 2, and said plunger is carefully fitted in order Yto slide-smoothly and-yet notbe-loose i in said'bearings. Inthecenter ofthe casingis yplaced .ag spindle 12, saidfspindleb'eing ..piifot'alljf suspended between the back .vvalxlgiof':v the casing and.V anzed. bridge -13.A Saidffspindlef. hasI secured. to. it.l aiitoo'thedpinion .141!permanently.` iny meshI with thelteeth'of'a sector 1,5, .and the latter is,rigidly` secured ona. pivot 1G. Inr the j plunger 2 is rigidly iredafUshaped hooky 17, andal linlc 18 extends Vfrom ksaidh'oolrvto the sector- 15 taking a* "position ,substantially parallel 1 with the plunger:y The partsjjdescribed co-l-v operate to,r convert the. longitudinal movey vment ofthe plunger into a rotating. moveable on the mentlofthe spindle l2, and as said vspindle@ carries. the..aiiore`named pointer 3,- it becomes clearfto;anyone.F versed inl the art" that the extent.y ofsuch` f. plunger' movement 1 is read-` t j. dial 4.,' asf indicated by said. pointer.KA

Sf'r'ltafble'. mean-s, such-as-a spring. 20;.

serves- ,tog maintain the. plunger yieldinglyproj ecjtedg` and itl is.l noticed-,that the Imove ment of'L-thevplunger is 'limitedv by` the hook:

1'7 toucliing.. the Aend of14 a; p eratorationf- 2l@ of alliXed-bridge2l.. [Said perforation/exy tends. lengthwise` and paralleli with the axisurgethe .pinion-14.- in acloclrvvisefdirection,y andfthistendency, inturmexercises an up.

of the; plunger, and the. Widthof the per? forationcorresponds tothe thickness of-Jthe.

hooli,` whereby the-parts co-act tof hold the. plunger `against tur-ning Upon the/spindlel 12 Lis hung a. delicate clioclrspring. 23, the

TGG-ld of isset vvin a ypost 2li-1- of the. vcasing. Said clock spring. is .adjusted to.

remain under tensiom. andvv the direction of' its, pull asindicated bykl the'arrow, tendsgto Wand pressure jf upon the ,sec-tor.-A 15, .Which ligh-terpressure, it Willbenorticed, operates;

against.the'much.- stronger pressure of .the

plunger spring-20. It is not mechanicalllv:`A

andfcommercially;possible vtofllt 4a numberA of elementsfsuchyas here described,.together so -perfectlv .that all vlost"d motion? is eliminated,but bv adjustingfthe springs lto operate. opposition to each' otheritisfmade possi/ble'to draW- alljsaid elements yield.

ingly' 1together,- and thereby to eliminate 'the effect of lost-motiony n 4 Lostmotion, however, is` not the` only factor ywhich operates to .affectV the accuracy @fan instrumentof this character.'V lt isi- -also-notsmechanically andicommerciallypois,-

sible to make the parts exactly of the reac'tness "of j their parts.

. Washer 2,8,- ancl the `stud may ,bel turned.y in- `ouslj,f y ailzectftheusefulness offan instrumen-t of thisftvpe,l ,and-those versed in.thef a-rtrv Witliiniafsleevef 30,"Which fits they. outside perpheryyofjthe casing.` lvVhenthe instru-y quired" size and proportions, and for this reasoni the accuracy .of thee dial. indicator." ii.

gaugesiinlpublic use is limited to the eX- An important o'bj entici-` this-invention, as hereinbe'i'ore stated, istofprovide adjustment capable of correcting.I such-f inaccuracies, as Will novit' bewden 'ff scribed. The ylink 1S. is pivotally connected4 With''the. sector 1'5l through the medium of astud 27,' and this stud is made lWith alarge' shoulderwportio'n .riding the 18,' asf'` best shown yin Fig. 4, and j. ai'smaller .portion Whichis rotatable in the sector` l5. A su-ita ablefrictionU Washer 28- isplfacedon thestud adjacent .to `.the sector 15, andtheendf of` the stud'isstalredover this Washer' in yorder,y to vretainfthe studi in position' andsov j as* to` bring; vsufficient pressure to bearv against the sector duringy the. normal oper-ation` of-V the. gauge.. to maintain the stud un-turnedf be applied? to overcome the pressureioiithe` the' sector. Now-y it .is noticed thatthe. shoulder portion' of thev stud,` which:A fits, inA v the linlzlS', .is.eccentri cally\ shaped, and-thatconsequently.. a turning *movementi oit-saidstud- Will bring.. the., i:ulc'rum` of `said link nearerto orfartlier fromithelpivotedcenter; Thev` error-g of .readingv isc-less.,

oftlie sector. c l @aannemen individua graduates of.. the.. dial, but-the accumulationroi errorsf'seri-- Willfzappreciate that.v aL slightturn of.k the-.

stud-` hasfV a decidedeii'ect. upon the throw off.l

the pointer 3,-. and therethrough upon!tl1e v accuracy` of thel instrument,` which .In-ay, through. the yinstrumentalities described,jgbe i.

set t nd.. adjustedto Qgive.- accurateY readings j The dial of the gaugeis madeadjustable.A

circum-erentially byy.mounting.v said'. diali 'the'l indicato-r` casing, for rotating',,said'fspin-r,

dle.1and hauling;` both ends projecting beyondr` the/casina' one end of theplungersliaped! l orcontacting'with the Worlr todos gauge'dpl-f an. eXternal-arm.- seatedvfinlvthe' casing, .andi-.'-` f l i'ierentiating'. lever vpivoted ongsaid` armandi-- engaging. .the opposite endof saidv plunger,l j

said.leverprovidedatthe outerflend'withia' contacting head. i

t Y inthe sector... .The headlof the-stud 'is providedwith aslotshaped to 'receive a'screwf driver'by means' oi' which force enoughmayf;

2. In a dial indicator, a circular casing, a central spindle, a plunger slidable in the casing and having its opposite ends projecting beyond the casing, one end shaped lor direct Contact with the work to be gauged, means for translating the sliding movement of the plunger intoa turning movement of the sipndle, means for adjusting the movement of the spindle relative to the movement of the plunger, and external contacting means engaging the other end of the plunger, said means adjustable to vary the throw of the plunger.

3. In a dial indicator, a circular dial, means traversing the circular body of the indicator and capable ot contacting at each end with the work to be gauged, a rotary member for indicating the result obtained on said dial, means for maintaining said slidable member yieldingly projected, and means 'for yieldingly maintaining said rotary member in opposition to said sliding member for the purpose of eliminating lost motion between the parts.

4. In a dial indicator, a graduated dial, a pointer carrying spindle, a slidable member, means for connecting said member to rotate said spindle, means for adjusting said connecting means in order to correct the rotation of the spindle to the movement. oi' said member, and means for contacting with the work to be gauged, said means connected to operate said'sliding member and being adjustable in order vary the throw of said member and thereby to vary the neness. of the rea-dings on the said dial.

5. In a dial indicator, a casing, ya plunger slidable in said casing, a toothed sector, a link pivotally connected to said sector and the said plunger, a central spindle having a toothed'pinion engaging said sector, a pointer on said spindle and operating upon the dial of the indicator, means on the spindle for yieldingly opposing the pressure of the plunger', and means for varying the throw of said sector relative to the movement of said plunger.

ion in mesh with said sector, a hook on said f plunger, a link from the hook to the sector, means for varying the movement of said sector relative to the throw of the plunger, and means for taking up lost motion between said plunger, sector and pinion.

9. In a dial indicator, a circular dial, a pointer carrying spindle centrally positioned relative to said dial, slidable means operatively connected to rotate said spindle, means for varying the rotation of said spindle relative to the movement of said sliding means, means for varying the movement of said sliding means, and means for eliminating lost motion between the parts.

l0. In a dial indicator, a circular casing, a central spindle in said casing, a pointer and a pinion rigid on said spindle, a plunger transversely extending through and slidable in the casing, said plunger tted to contact with the work to be gauged at each end, a gear sector pivotally seated in the casing in mesh with said pinion, a link connecting said plunger with the said sector, and means engaging said plunger for limiting the movement of the plunger.

ll. In a dial indicator, a pointer carrying spindle, a sliding member shaped at one end Jfor contacting with the work to be gauged, interconnecting devices for said spindle and member, a differentiating mechanism mountable on the indicator and operable upon the opposite end of said member, said mechanism provided with a work contacting head, and means for guiding and limiting the movement of said member.

l2. In a dial indicator, a casing, a yieldingly projected plunger in said casing and shaped at one end for contacting with the work to be gauged, a pointer carrying spindle, connections between the plunger and spindle, said connections provided with means for adjusting the throw of the spindle relative to the throw of the plunger, means for limiting the throw of said plunger, and a diterentiating mechanism operable upon the work to be gauged and connected with the opposite end of said plunger.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

BENJAMIN L. GATES. 

